Myself and a Maidendeath13 headed out to FHL this weekend in search of some meat pigs. We drove into TA-7 and decided to park and hump the rest of the way. The roads were real bad and neither of us wanted to chance getting stuck.

We picked up some tracks and followed them until we spotted the two hogs we were tracking rooting on a hillside. The conditions allowed us to stock to within 50 yds and take the pigs while earning the coveted title of Hunter with our first DIY hogs. No guide fees for these guys.

Congrats guys!!! I haven't been there in a while but Area 6 and 7 are my favorite spots.

Thanks. Looks like we are neighbors, we should KIT and let each other know when either of us are going up again, it's a haul from out here, it would be nice to have someone to split gas and driving with.

Great job nate. Glad to see people killing stuff in here instead of just arguing about ethics and DFG rules.

what's the specs on your AR?

Thanks LD, I'm trying to get like you man. I'm still waiting for someone to point out that my kill isn't tagged for the pic! That's a Remington R25 chambered in .308. I Just picked it up from another CG'er, it's stock with the exception of a BCG charging handle and the Leuopold VX-R 3-9x40. She's a beast and packs a whallop!

I haven't weighed it actually but if I were to guess, I would say right around 10 lbs with the optic. I have a bipod for it, but have yet to mount it. I shoot mostly from the sitting position and the weight and length of this rifle doesn't do well in the sitting so I figured with a bipod, I can take prone shots on game.

Nate- pieeater actually called me to point out you don't have it tagged. We then argued for 25 minutes about the merits of the timing of the tagging, the law, the interpretation of the law, and if tomatoes should be pronounced "toe-may-to"or "toe-mah-to" before I hung up on him.

Myself and a Maidendeath13 headed out to FHL this weekend in search of some meat pigs. We drove into TA-7 and decided to park and hump the rest of the way. The roads were real bad and neither of us wanted to chance getting stuck.

We picked up some tracks and followed them until we spotted the two hogs we were tracking rooting on a hillside. The conditions allowed us to stock to within 50 yds and take the pigs while earning the coveted title of Hunter with our first DIY hogs. No guide fees for these guys.

It was a good day.

Very nice! I'll be going to FHL right before Christmas eve. Hope I harvest something good

Nate- pieeater actually called me to point out you don't have it tagged. We then argued for 25 minutes about the merits of the timing of the tagging, the law, the interpretation of the law, and if tomatoes should be pronounced "toe-may-to"or "toe-mah-to" before I hung up on him.

I have yet to kill a pig so my question is how much did your pigs weigh? And congrats on your luck and harvest

I didn't get an official weight on it. I would guess right aroud 50-60 lbs before dressing and about 45 lbs or so dressed and skinned. I wasn't out for a big, ugly boar, only wanted something that I could roast whole. I hear the little guys taste better. We'll see.

Nate, congrats on a fine brace of hawgs. I should have gone with you, gah!!! Gonna be up there Christmas break, the whole holiday week they are open. Was that your first trip to FHL? Not many get hogs on first time there. I put Westy on a hog the first 2 trips and he ended up 3 for 4 on his first 4 trips and the only reason he wasn't 4 for 4 was he missed a monster boar in 13E standing right off the trail at 50 yds. Didn't check his shotgun scope zero.

Nate congrats on a public land harvest! How does the copper rounds shoot out the AR? Do you have to re sight the scope when switching between lead and copper or is it pretty close? Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hot Holster

That's a lot of work and a lot of walking you guys did, good job.

We def worked for these. We humped about 5 mi total in soft, wet clay, mud with waterlogged boots, packs and soaked that probably added another 30lbs easily. Not to mention the last half was with 60 lb hogs on our backs. We earned each oz of these harvests.

Thanks DD, I have only zeroed and fired Winchester Razorback XT loads outta the AR10 so I dunno how it shoots lead. I'll let you know once I have had a chance. I suspect it would be pretty much the same but maybe some minor adjustments for different loads.

Nate, congrats on a fine brace of hawgs. I should have gone with you, gah!!! Gonna be up there Christmas break, the whole holiday week they are open. Was that your first trip to FHL? Not many get hogs on first time there. I put Westy on a hog the first 2 trips and he ended up 3 for 4 on his first 4 trips and the only reason he wasn't 4 for 4 was he missed a monster boar in 13E standing right off the trail at 50 yds. Didn't check his shotgun scope zero.

Thanks Jesse. I'll hunt with you anytime, you just let me know. This was my first trip, yes. Beginners luck maybe? I did get some actionable intel from XD, L2H and Map. They were pretty much right on with it so that helped a lot. I wish I could do Christmas week but I already know the wife isn't gonna be having that. My next trip to FHl will likely be sometime in March, let's set something up.

Nate, you worked for them hawgs so part luck and part hard work, that mud is nasty. It also really helps to pair up or get help from the hunters that know FHL. I know one famous CA hog writer who claims every time I see him that there are no hogs at FHL to hunt. I think he does what many do and drives and walks in areas that just don't hold pigs. OTOH, I've seen pigs just driving to and from my TA. L2H and XD are about the best I've seen at FHL for wacking pigs consistently, they know their stuff.

Prez holiday weekend we do an annual hunt too, Feb 11th I think it is this year. 3 days of fun, try to make that one too.

Nate, you worked for them hawgs so part luck and part hard work, that mud is nasty. It also really helps to pair up or get help from the hunters that know FHL. I know one famous CA hog writer who claims every time I see him that there are no hogs at FHL to hunt. I think he does what many do and drives and walks in areas that just don't hold pigs. OTOH, I've seen pigs just driving to and from my TA. L2H and XD are about the best I've seen at FHL for wacking pigs consistently, they know their stuff.

Prez holiday weekend we do an annual hunt too, Feb 11th I think it is this year. 3 days of fun, try to make that one too.

I'll be there for that. I have 5 kids at home, the youngest is a NB and the oldest 10. My chances to slip away are very limited but have struck a deal with wifey that allows me 1 hunt/quarter. I'm sure I could work it out so that I could get up there for 2/11/2013.

This time, I'll bring an AK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Gillious

Damn I can't wait. Just curious, what else did you see out there besides your pig? Coyote, rabbits, etc?

I'd like to know so I know which guns to bring.

We didn't cover much ground yesterday but the TA I was in, I saw rabbits, squirrels, deer, lots of yote and cat signs but no sightings. I'd bring a rifle and a shotgun for starters and a bow if you have it.

Nicely done. Good to see people out there hunting with AR's. Too bad it's an AR10 and not a 15, but nobody is perfect!

My AR15 is chambered in .223 and although, I could probably drop a hog with that, it would take a very well placed shot in the head as I don't have confidence that .223 would penetrate their gristle plate. Although the AR10 is heavy, .308 will drop anything that I plan to hunt, including bear, where the 6.8 effectiveness on game leaves a lot to be desired. It was either a .308 bolt action or SA, the SA won because of the ability for faster follow up shots.

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Where's your tag at nate? I better gripe and lecture you now. Lol. Good kill bud, bummer I couldn't make it out. Did you end up staying one more day? I got your call late last night, been busy today too. I'll call you in a bit man. Congrats again.

My AR15 is chambered in .223 and although, I could probably drop a hog with that, it would take a very well placed shot in the head as I don't have confidence that .223 would penetrate their gristle plate. Although the AR10 is heavy, .308 will drop anything that I plan to hunt, including bear, where the 6.8 effectiveness on game leaves a lot to be desired. It was either a .308 bolt action or SA, the SA won because of the ability for faster follow up shots.

Nastynate,

I was making a joke because I sell AR15's specifically for hunting. Nothing wrong with your rifle. I agree with you. The way I see it, why shoot a bolt action when we now can produce semi-autos that are just as precise. Modern semi-autos offer everything a bolt action can and more.

Nice Job Nate. I haven't made it up to FHL yet although I got the permit, I had to buy it when applying for the elk hunt.

LB?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicoredneck

Nastynate,

I was making a joke because I sell AR15's specifically for hunting. Nothing wrong with your rifle. I agree with you. The way I see it, why shoot a bolt action when we now can produce semi-autos that are just as precise. Modern semi-autos offer everything a bolt action can and more.

CalGuns Network (CGN) is different from CalGuns Foundation (CGF). Both need our support. I have gold name because I support CGN; plus, I send $10 every two weeks to CGF automatically via online BillPay as described here.

Nice pigs, and you sure worked for them! I used to hunt there pretty frequently, until my hunting buddy up and moved out of state several years ago.

You made a good choice on hiking in - I once got my 4x4 Power Wagon stuck pretty good in that gumbo. It looks deceiving, like it's no big deal - hen your tires get packed up with it and they turn into slicks.

I miss hunting pigs there, and just now joined this forum in part to investigate pig hunting opportunities. I live up in San Ramon, so if anyone is close and wants to team up to hunt some pigs, I'm your guy.

Nice pigs, and you sure worked for them! I used to hunt there pretty frequently, until my hunting buddy up and moved out of state several years ago.

You made a good choice on hiking in - I once got my 4x4 Power Wagon stuck pretty good in that gumbo. It looks deceiving, like it's no big deal - hen your tires get packed up with it and they turn into slicks.

I miss hunting pigs there, and just now joined this forum in part to investigate pig hunting opportunities. I live up in San Ramon, so if anyone is close and wants to team up to hunt some pigs, I'm your guy.

That's exactly what was happening and what made us stop. We were both in 4WD trucks but even in 4 hi, I was sliding all over the place. I had been warned extensively by those more experienced at FHL about getting stuck. I didn't wanna spend my trip digging myself out so we made the command decision to hump in and out.

If I'm ever in your area, I'll take you up on your offer. I welcome every opportunity to hunt with new guys, you can learn something from every one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectr17

You know a rookie isn't properly broke in at FHL until your frame deep in mud on an off camber hillside with a 200 ft straight down drop and the forecast is heavy rain all weekend.

Just sayin.

I'll wear that rookie title with pride then. I'd rather walk 5 mi with 90 #s of waterlog and dead hog on my back then spend 4 hours digging myself out of something that could have been avoided in the first place. Getting stuck is no fun and neither is spending $200 for a rescue or asking others to help you dig yourself out because you didn't take heed to the warnings issued to you.

That said, I'm sure that I will eventually get stuck. I'll get more confident each time as I get to know the roads and one day find myself buried in soft sand asking other JHO'ers to help in digging so I don't have to drop $200 on a tow truck. I'll avoid that as long as I can though.